Chapter 30

I waited until I was sure everyone was out of the mission house, before I approached the telephone. Ruby Mae had sworn herself and Bessie to secrecy about the masked ball, but I wanted to be absolutely certain no one else overheard. I crossed my fingers, hoping that the surprise of the masked ball could be kept for just another couple of days. If my mother was unable to send us some supplies, well, we would have to delay the plan. I was trying my best to have Ruby Mae's dreams come true.

I picked up the telephone and waited for the operator to connect me to Asheville. I had taken the telephone for granted when I lived there; it only took a minute to connect to another home. The wait here took several minutes. Finally, my call connected.

"Hello, Mother. No, no, everything's fine. Yes, I know I only call if there's an emergency, but a letter would take too long. I have a favor to ask you. I'm planning on having a masked ball for my students. We'll need all kinds of things to make costumes and masks. Really? I'd never have thought of that. If Eloise has scraps from her store to donate, that would be excellent. And what about Smith's Millinery? Wonderful. Send it all as soon as you can. When am I planning on having the ball?"

I fell silent for a minute as I mentally mapped out the days. It was already the middle of January, and I had yet to plan with Fairlight about the dress for Ruby Mae. One week flipped by and another. My mind settled on a date.

"I really don't think we can be ready until the middle of February. I mean, we need to get the materials, and my students need to select a character from literature, so we need to read more stories together." My rushed words slowed to a stop. Was my mother giggling on the other end of the line? She most certainly was. Her statement was rather cryptic; I was to watch out for Cupid's arrow. I shook my head and sighed.

"Is Daddy there? Good. I have a favor to ask him too." I heard Mother call for him, followed by the muffled sounds of footsteps. "Daddy? Do you know any publishers? Wonderful. Margaret wanted me to publish her story and I'm not really sure how to go about it doing it. You think I really need a typewriter? Oh. Can I borrow one? Good, send it along with the things Mother is sending. Let me get something to write on." I grabbed a nearby scrap of paper and scribbled down the name and address of Malcolm MacDonald, an acquaintance of my father's. "Thanks, Daddy. I love you too. Let me say goodbye to Mother." I said my goodbyes and hung up the telephone.

Now, time to move on to my next plan; getting my old evening dress ready for Ruby Mae to wear. I went upstairs to get it. I stuffed it as neatly as possible into my valise and rushed downstairs. I grabbed a basket of jam and biscuits and some books, just in case Ruby Mae followed Bessie to the Spencers' cabin. This was one secret that Ruby Mae couldn't know about until the last minute.

I knew Fairlight was the best at sewing, so I would try her first. If she didn't have time, we could figure out who else might be able to accomplish the task.

I was about halfway there, when I heard the steady sound of hoof beats behind me. I ducked off the trail and into the scant brush for cover. Looking back the trail, I saw that it was Neil and Charlie. I sighed, wishing the brush was thicker. Charlie drew closer and I tried to stay as still as possible. The hoof beats stopped in front of my sorry hiding spot.

"Miss Huddleston, if you're trying to be invisible, it isn't working. I can see you perfectly well."

I crept out from my spot. "I, uh, was on my way to see Fairlight." Somehow, my truth sounded very lame.

Neil grinned down at me. "With your valise? Are you certain you're not running away again?"

I frowned. That was just mean. And well, if he was going to act like that, I didn't need to linger here any longer. "Good day, Dr. MacNeill." I let out a huff and turned away from him, walking at a brisk pace.

The hoof beats resumed. This was getting to be an all too familiar game between us. One of us walking away, and the other following after.

"I didn't mean it like that, Christy." I ignored him and kept walking. "I only meant that it is odd for you to be taking a bag meant for traveling to see Fairlight Spencer."

"I don't see how my bag is any of your business, Dr. MacNeill." I paused for the briefest of seconds and continued on. Behind me, Charlie whinnied softly as I heard his rider fling down the reigns and dismount. Footsteps replaced the hoof beats. A hand fell lightly on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry. That was a little low. Don't be angry with me. I was only curious."

I sighed deeply. "What do I have to do to keep a secret around here?"

"Oh a secret, is that it now?"

"Yes."

"Well then, I'm sorry that I intruded on your mission."

"You should be."

There was moment of awkward silence between us. "I was actually headed to the Spencers myself. Would you care for a ride?"

I felt a small smile pull at my lips, but I forced it away and lowered my eyelashes demurely. "No, I'd rather walk. Thank you, though."

Neil turned and clicked to Charlie who responded by ambling to his master's side. Impressive. Is there nothing he can't do? I thought. "We'll walk with you then." Neil grabbed the dangling reigns and led Charlie along beside us.

We walked in silence, a comfortable one, for some distance. "It's a surprise for Ruby Mae."

"What is?" Neil sounded a bit distracted.

"What's in my valise."

"No wonder you're being so tight lipped about it, then. If it helps, I was just over at Kyle's place and both her and Bessie were thoroughly en-massed in discussions over the physical attributes of Rob Allen and Will Beck. I doubt much would distract them, for the time being. Typical teenage girl things, I suppose." Neil looked rather disturbed as he recalled that overheard discussion.

I found the idea of Neil overhearing their conversation quite funny. "And what do you know about the minds of teenage girls, Dr. MacNeill?"

"Nothing at all. I know even less about minds of grown women."

He had a point there. The rest of the way to the Spencer cabin we fell into an easy fluctuation between silence and talk. Whatever agitation I had felt for him earlier had dissipated, like warm breath into the chilly air. But that was the nature of us, I supposed; we were more changeable than the weather. All shadows and shade one minute, and sunlight and clear skies the next.

When we arrived at the cabin, we went our separate ways. He, to tend to John's stitches, and me to the loft of the cabin with Fairlight. As I walked into the fire lit cabin, I caught an odd glance from Zady's eyes as her gaze shifted from Neil to me. Maybe I didn't know as much about teenage girls as I thought I did. I shrugged it off and found Fairlight.

Pulling her to the farthest corner of her cabin, I whispered to her in conspiratorial tones. "Can you keep a secret?"

A sly smile formed on her gentle lips. "Rekin so." Though her children were entertained elsewhere by John's stitch removal and the promise of butterscotch, she motioned to the steps up to the loft. I followed close behind, carrying my valise and abandoning the token basket.

"Waal?" I don't think I've seen Fairlight so impatient before.

I opened the valise and pulled out the blue dress. Fairlight barely contained a surprised gasp. "We are planning a dress-up ball at the mission. It was Ruby Mae's idea; she's been longing for a fancy party after my evening gowns accidentally got packed on my way back here. I want to surprise her with this one. Obviously it won't fit her, unless it's altered. And it's a bit dated. Can you help?"

Fairlight's blue eyes sparkled as she pulled the dress into her lap. She looked it over with a critical eye. "I think hit can be done. I'll need her measurements. Wait, I'll come over to help with the laundry next Monday and 'borrow' one of her dresses to get the sizin' right."

"Oh, thank you so much Fairlight!" I hugged her to me. "Ruby Mae can't know about it. Will that be a problem?"

Fairlight was thoughtful for a minute. "Waal, she does tag along with Bessie over here 'cassionaly. I've got an idee. Opal's a fair hand at seamstressin'. Ruby Mae don't travel there often. Why don't we work on hit over thar? Now, what all do ye have in mind for this a here dress?"

"Fairlight, you're the best! It's been ages since I've seen Iris and Opal." I pulled a cutout from a magazine from my pocket and showed it to Fairlight. We talked over ideas for the dress and more general details of the masquerade in hushed tones for a couple of minutes. Finally, Fairlight pulled m up.

"If'in we want Opal to help us out, we'd best hie on over thar now."

"Don't you need to stay here?" I hadn't noticed if Jeb was here when I first arrived.

"Ain't nothin round here that Zady cain't manage. Now come on." She nearly pulled me down the steps.

To my surprise Neil was still downstairs, by the fire, telling stories to Clara, Lulu and Little Guy. He raised his eyebrows as Fairlight pulled her ragged sweater off the peg by the door. I hid the valise behind my skirt.

"And where are you two off to in such a hurry?"

I started to stammer some sort of answer, when Fairlight interrupted my attempt. "We're off to see Opal. Won't be gone long. Oh, if yer waitin on Jeb, he'll be back directly. John, Zady, mind the little ones. And thar's a sweet tater pie if onybody be cravin a piece." With that, we dashed out the door.

"You never cease to amaze me, Fairlight." We were nearly to the McHone cabin. I was all but breathless from our trek.

"Oh that, weren't nothing. Ye've got ta leave no room fer questions, else the secrets spilt. Not that Neil couldn't keep a secret, but I doubt Lulu can."

"I didn't let Neil in on the secret on the way over."

"Waal, no sense in startin now. 'Sides, he keeps to many secrets ta begin with."

"Really?"

Fairlight didn't elaborate any further.

By the time I returned to the mission just before dusk, I had accomplished so much that I felt like I was floating inches above the ground. Even Miss Alice's news of Dr. Ferrand's imminent arrival couldn't bring me back to the ground. I had a vague impression that Dr. Ferrand would not approve of a masquerade, nor the manner in which I sought donations for it. A little voice in the back of my mind told me not to worry, it would all work out.

I pulled out some of the more ludicrous fashions from the mission barrels; some had been passed over at least twice during the two barter store days we had. Of course, I could show the children how to change a simple sheet into a Roman, Greek or Biblical type costume. I found a tattered sheet in one of the barrels and draped it experimentally over myself. Finding the tie to a man's smoking jacket, I cinched it around my waist and scanned my reflection in the window.

"Miss Huddleston! What on Earth are you doing now?"

A/N: All apologies for taking so long to get this out to you. I have no real excuses, I just couldn't write. I had time and ideas, so it wasn't writer's block. So you didn't wait in vain; this is a fairly long chapter and I didn't cover half of what I wanted. So much for plans! And of course Neil shows up, so it can't be that bad. He always shows up now, even when I haven't planned for him. So let me know what you think. Especially those of you I haven't heard from in awhile. Which means pretty much all of you, since I haven't posted in like forever.